1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical device engageable in an electrical wall outlet to supply electrical current to an electrical extension cord wound on a reel located within the device, the real being rotatable for extension of the cord to be pulled from the device to supply current to electrical appliances remote from the wall outlet.
2. Prior Developments
Various devices of the prior art involve housing extension cords on rotary reels, whereby the extension cords can be pulled out of the housing to supply electrical power to remotely-located appliances. U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,576, to Huber discloses an electrical power supply device comprising a portable housing with electrical prongs insertable into an electrical wall outlet, whereby the housing is mountable on a room wall. The electrical prongs have internal electrical brush means engageable with a circular track on the periphery of a rotary reel structure within the housing. An extension cord is wound on the reel so that the cord can be drawn from the housing to supply electrical power to an appliance plugged onto the free end of the cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,863 to Johnson discloses an electrical power supply device in many respects similar to the device of the above-noted U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,979,576. However, the Johnson device avoids the use of electrical brush means for supplying current to the extension cord. In the Johnson device, the extension cord has an electrical prong construction on the central axis of the reel housing, so that the housing can be rotated to draw the extension cord from a stationary reel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,736 to Scherenberg discloses an electrical power supply device wherein a reel housing is mounted on a room wall remote from a wall outlet. A flexible electrical cord extends from the wall outlet to the housing to supply power to an extension cord wound on a rotary reel within the housing. Two annular electrical tracks on the reel receive current from electrical brushes carried by the reel housing, thus to supply electrical power to the extension cord in any rotated position of the reel. A principal feature of the Scherenberg device is a releasable retention means for automatically retaining the reel in selected positions of cord extension from the reel housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,697 to Kovacik, et al., discloses a portable housing containing a rotary reel structure having two electrical receptacles connected to one end of an extension cord wound on the reel, with an electrical plug attached to the cord in an external location. The plug can be plugged into a wall outlet, and the housing moved to a remote location where its electrical receptacles may be used for supplying power to electrical appliances. During movement of the housing the extension cord unwinds from the reel to maintain an electrical connection between the wall outlet and the electrical receptacles on the reel.